Animal Species:Stripey, Microcanthus strigatus (Cuvier, 1831)

The Stripey can be recognised by a distinct pattern of slanting black and yellow to white stripes on the sides of the body. The species lives on rocky and coral reefs in protected coastal and estuarine waters.

Standard Common Name

Stripey

Alternative Name/s

Eastern Stripey, Footballer, Western Stripey

Identification

The Stripey can be recognised by its deep, compressed body, and distinct pattern of slanting black and yellow to white stripes.

Size range

The species grows to 16 cm in length.

Similar Species

Another very common coastal fish in the same family as the Stripey (Microcanthidae), also occurs in the Sydney region, and shares the species name

Distribution

The Stripey is known to occur in three distinct regions. In Australia it is recorded on the east coast from southern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It is common in coastal reefs of the Sydney region. On the west coast it is recorded from Exmouth Gulf to Cape Leeuwin. The third region is in the northern hemisphere, from Japan, China and Hawaii. Some ichthyologists believe that fish from these regions may represent more than one species.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.